Personal reports from 10 years of experiencing waterfalls in Southeast Asia

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Extending the definition?

Seeing how this web site is increasingly becoming a personal listing of great places to swim and have fun in Southeast Asia with at least some water losing some height. All the while enjoying the naturalness of both the water and the surroundings, I could now embark on putting swimming holes on the list. These are not waterfalls persé, though some occur where there are rapids. But where will it end?

A contentious point that I could do is to include the Siloso Beach Resort, Singapore where I stayed a couple of nights during the opening of the resort in August 2007. The resort has an 18 meter man-made waterfall in their pool, but should it be included? I think not, it's man made and I suppose (hopefully) that the water has been chlorinated and the likes, i.e. there's nothing natural to it anymore.

Back to swimming holes then. Should I? A case in point is the recent inclusion of the posting on Nam Lik, Lao, which I rate as my most enjoyed swim hole experience in Southeast Asia. The reasons though are personal. As the Southeast Asian waterfalls experience for me is not a technical experience (see worldwaterfalldatabase: What is considered a waterfall?), it's about enjoyment which, yes, can be personal. However some waterfalls have the wow factor (great to see, but little to enjoy), others awesome (jumping from rocks, skinny dipping and the likes). But possibly we getting on a sliding scale.

Is a simple slow flowing but deep river not a swim hole? Good question, it has it's merits. Maybe I should just rename the blog, Enjoying the Natural Waters of Southeast Asia? But then what is natural water? Non-contaminated, free from pollution? And would beaches not be included? Probably not, that might be a great theme for a new blog though ..

Tatai, Koh Kong, Cambodia. This is a great waterhole just north of the rapids.Can be reached from the Rainbow Lodge. The owner recommends:

'Skinny dipping by moonlight anyone?'

Let's rate, this way readers can see what I look for in waterfalls and the like.Natural awesomeness: 2. Natural surroundings: 5. Skinny dipping: 4. Overall experience: 4.

Bohorok River, Bukit Lawang, Sumatra Utara, Indonesia.

Bukit Lawang is a small village, the first village after the Bohorok river has left the Gunung Leuser National Park. Visits to here are popular with locals in the weekend to enjoy the river and nature, whereas tourists stay here as it is the location of an Orang Utan rehabilitation center.Many guesthouses are located along the river and sleeping is a true delite.Tubing is also possible, but just jumping around and swimming is as much fun.Natural awesomeness: 4.Natural surroundings: 4.Skinny dipping: 0.Overall experience: 3.

Yak Lom, Ratanakiri, Cambodia. See blog post earlier.Natural awesomeness: 4.Natural surroundings: 4. Skinny dipping: 2 (seclusion is on offer, outside of weekends, early in the day or during sun-down).Overall experience: 4.

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Waterfalls of Asia is a feeble attempt to highlight Southeast Asia's great waterfalls and swimming holes, be they popular or unknown. Tourists flock to the beaches while locals know where the best places are to cool off, up the creek surrounded by nature. Who knows you might be able to skinny dip! Enjoy